President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence has reignited familiar accusations from her critics on both the left and right: that she is a “Russian asset.” These claims, however, crumble under closer examination of her record and foreign policy vision.
Gabbard’s opponents have long accused her of being sympathetic to Russia, with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) recently calling her a “likely Russian asset” and Hillary Clinton suggesting that Moscow was “grooming” her with no evidence.
Even Republican Nikki Haley accused the former Hawaii congresswoman of being “a Russian-Iranian-Syrian-Chinese sympathizer.”
In a recent profile, The New York Times acknowledged that Gabbard has never “collaborated in any way with Russia’s intelligence agencies.” The paper also noted that her geopolitical views stray from American norms by prioritizing ending conflicts quickly rather than prolonging them, including the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Some point to Gabbard’s foreign policy stances as aligning with Moscow’s interests, particularly her call for diplomacy in Ukraine and skepticism toward NATO expansion. Her stance reflects a populist critique, shared by both left and right, that the US often involves itself in international conflicts under the banner of moral principles, overlooking the heavy costs of war, both in blood and treasure.
Another frequent criticism concerns Syria. Gabbard’s 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad drew sharp criticism, with detractors accusing her of legitimizing his Russia-backed regime that has killed hundreds of thousands of its citizens, per the UN.
Gabbard defended the meeting as part of her broader effort to foster dialogue between the US and its global adversaries. Her stance has been consistent: rather than signaling support for enemy regimes, she argues that open communication and diplomacy — rightly or wrongly — can help de-escalate conflict and promote peace.
Ultimately, Gabbard’s views challenge Washington’s foreign policy orthodoxy, but there is no evidence to question her loyalty to the United States. She served in the US military for over 20 years, and currently holds the position of Lt. Col. in the Army Reserves. The baseless claim that Tulsi Gabbard is a "Russian asset" only serves to underscore how she has made the right enemies.
